Bangladesh bans smoking in public places (Scofflaws face 83 cent fine - nearly a day's avg. wage)

The Hindustan Times / AFP ^ | March 12, 2005

[Stoat]

	Bangladesh bans smoking in public places Agence France-Presse Dhaka, March 14, 2005|17:49 IST
	A law banning smoking in public places and tobacco advertising came into force across Bangladesh on Monday and was hailed an important first step by anti-tobacco campaigners. The Smoking and Tobacco Product Usage (Control) Act was passed by the Bangladesh parliament late Sunday. "We are pleased that the government has passed this act. It is a significant first step although the real challenge of the law will be its implementation," said Nurul Islam, president of Adhunik, the country's leading anti-smoking group. "We have asked the government to enforce the law strictly," he added. Under the new legislation, a fine of 50 taka (83 cents) will be levied for smoking in public places such as government offices, bus and railway stations. The penalty against tobacco advertising will be 5,000 taka (83 dollars), said Health ministry information officer Golam Kibria. According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 37 percent of Bangladeshis smoke. There are, however, no available figures for the number of people who chew tobacco in the south Asian nation. Worldwide, the practice accounts for 90 percent of oral cancer cases. Anti-tobacco campaigners had repeatedly urged the Bangladeshi government to ban smoking as a poverty reduction measure. They say there is a direct link between poverty, malnutrition and smoking because impoverished smokers buy tobacco with money that could be spent on food. Bangladesh, which has a population of 140 million, is one of the world's poorest nations. Nearly half the population lives on less than a dollar a day.

[Publius6961]

Under the new legislation, a fine of 50 taka (83 cents) will be levied for smoking in public places such as government offices, bus and railway stations.

Typical losers distortions.
By using "public" in the commonly understood sense, this article implies that smoking in places such as the beach, parks and public streets is what is intended.
I fear that (rightfully) if such were the case, as it is in California and other loser locations, they would soon run out of enforcers.